Coco Crisp helped a fan get a memorable picture. The Oakland A's held their annual FanFest at the Oakland Arena Sunday January 29, 2012 to delight of their fans.

Photo: Sean Culligan, The Chronicle

Coco Crisp helped a fan get a memorable picture. The Oakland A's...

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OAKLAND, CA - AUGUST 19: Coco Crisp #4 of the Oakland Athletics catches a ball hit by Matt Joyce of the Tampa Bay Rays in the sixth inning during an MLB game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on August 19, 2010 in Oakland, California.

With the pending arrival of Cuban star Yoenis Cespedes, Coco Crisp might be moved from his beloved center-field spot: The A's are kicking around the idea of putting Crisp, a standout defensive player, in left.

Crisp said in a phone interview Tuesday that while he's excited that the A's have agreed to terms with Cespedes, he believes he's Oakland's best option in center.

"I'm going to make all the plays," Crisp said. "If someone feels there's someone better than me, it's hard for me to believe. Unless he's a demigod come down from the heavens, no one is going to outshine me in center field."

Crisp said that until the A's assemble all their outfielders - seven on the 40-man roster at last count, plus two infielders, Brandon Allen and Chris Carter, who play in the outfield - they won't really know what they have. Cespedes, Josh Reddick, Seth Smith, Jonny Gomes and Collin Cowgill are all new to the team.

"We'll just have to see, there are so many things that go into it," Crisp said. "It's a matter of getting everyone on the field, and then it's up to the team, and I'll be wherever they want me to be. But obviously where I want to play is center - that's one of the reasons I came back to Oakland instead of going to Tampa Bay. My goal is to play center field in the big leagues, and this year and next year, that will be in Oakland."

Or will it? With so many outfielders, the A's easily could trade some surplus. A proven contributor such as Crisp, who tied for the league lead in steals last season, might be valuable to a contender at midseason.

"You never know what might happen," Crisp said, adding, "When it comes to trades, I am dumb, for lack of a better word. I've tried to predict things, and without fail, I'm not right."

Crisp has played plenty in left, 216 career games, shifting there for Grady Sizemore in Cleveland. He remained in center in Boston when Jacoby Ellsbury came up, despite speculation that Crisp would be moved. Instead, he was traded to Kansas City during the offseason.

Either scenario might happen in Oakland, and Crisp will roll with it.

"You can't put the carriage before the horse," he said. "I'll just go out and do my thing. And I'm excited to play alongside Cespedes - no matter what side that may be."

Crisp might find himself welcoming another new teammate soon, a man he knows well. The A's are likely to sign former Boston star Manny Ramirez just before or soon after the start of spring training.

Ramirez wouldn't add to the A's outfielder total. He'd come aboard as a designated hitter after serving a 50-game suspension for violating baseball's drug policy. Crisp, though, has played next to Ramirez, and he's had Ramirez, playing left, cut off one of his throws from center field.

Crisp said, "I slid up against the Monster, going from center to left, and came up throwing, and the first person I saw was big old Manny, waving his arms. As I was throwing, I thought, 'Oh my God, it's Manny!' Afterward, I was like, 'Manny, look, you can't do that again.' "

Though Ramirez's reputation has soured in recent years because of performance-enhancing drug use and accusations that he has quit on his teams, Crisp is a fan.

"I like him," Crisp said. "He's a great teammate, he's cool, he works hard, he's just eccentric. He's different. All of the great players are quirky in one way or another. Manny is an awesome person, nothing but pleasant and fun, but the negative stuff always captures people's attention more than the positive things. I think the positive outweighs the negative, and I love the quirky guys. They're entertaining. No filter - that's exciting."